Lighting Getting autocobs: Not sure if I should get rid of my HPS and T5HO lights

[lunarman]

I have an 8x8 tent and plan on only growing 4 plants at any given time.

I have 4 3500K autocobs coming in the mail.

At first I was going to get rid of the HPS and the T5s. But now I want to keep the HPS (2x600 watt, air cooled cooltube reflectors) lighting and run them directly over top of the 4 plants. 2 plants under 1 light, 2 the other. The way the HPS lights are hung down the middle of the tent right now, 2 in series and exhausted out, does take up space and is a bear to setup and take down. So with the flexibility of the autocob pendent hanging it looks like I can pretty much get 1 COB over each plant at an angle, hanging beside the HPS reflectors. So each plant gets a full COB and half a 600 watt HPS each, which I'm thinking would be great for flowering. And the HPS will give me the heat I need in the winter. That's my plan, but open to ideas on this part.

Also I have really been liking a T5HO fixture I have. It's a framed array of 8 tubes each 2' long. What I love about this is the coverage I can get just by hovering it over a couple of seedling plants and how close I can keep the plants to the light. I don't get uncomfortable with the T5's worrying about light burn. They are so easy to use. And the results I find are impressive. I get nice wide bushy seedlings with this light. So I'm thinking of keeping the T5 too.

Just curious if others would keep the old school lights and supplement LED with them, or would you get rid of them and only go COB?

 

[F.N.]

I think you will eventually be all COB. That being said T5 floros produce bad ass in veg stage I use to love them for vegging lots of clones t5 and t8. I have had a hps burn and me explode on me my fault I dropped it it was not on but it could have not been healthy. I personally do not like them they produce an uneven canopy. But your idea is a sound one and will produce huge plants with even canopy coverage with the added COBs

 

[lunarman]

One thing that I think needs to work for this is the height of the HPS bulbs should be around the same height as the cob lights. That way I can hang them both from the ceiling very close to each other and it's not like one will be a lot higher than that then the other and that would screw up my lighting coverage. Can you generally say that HPS bulbs and cob LEDs should be at approximately the same height?

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[F.N.]

I have seen them hung both at the same height in other grows. I love led and they are just getting more and more efficient.

 

[AutoWonders]

Just curious if others would keep the old school lights and supplement LED with them, or would you get rid of them and only go COB?

I have decided to dump all of my mass built led lights. I'm down to two left and will probably give those away soon and buy a couple more cobs to have as backups. That's how much I like cob lights.

 

[thomas m]

I really didn't have to read much to know exactly what you were saying. So, to cut to the chase yes keep them. in fact invest in a few extra bulbs aswell. Just incase. However if you are like me you will just find space and put them to use. [HASHTAG]#amiright[/HASHTAG]?

 

[lunarman]

I really didn't have to read much to know exactly what you were saying. So, to cut to the chase yes keep them. in fact invest in a few extra bulbs aswell. Just incase. However if you are like me you will just find space and put them to use. [HASHTAG]#amiright[/HASHTAG]?

Right on! that's exactly what I'm doing, investing in more bulbs and sticking with all the legacy lights. Just bought some T5HO bulbs today to replace some burnt ones. And I do love the way t5's work for seedlings. Also been thinking about replacing the HPS bulbs but that's a bit more expensive and not a priority. I was not the original buyer of them and have suspected they might need replacement. Tonight I have 2 autocobs, 1200 watts of hps and a grid of T5s going hard on 6 plants in my tent. And 2 more autocobs sitting in the postal office ready for Weds.

I do like having this combination of lighting and happy I didn't sell any.

 

[thomas m]

brother once you go cob you wont look back. believe..

 

[Autobeast]

I have an 8x8 tent and plan on only growing 4 plants at any given time.

I have 4 3500K autocobs coming in the mail.

At first I was going to get rid of the HPS and the T5s. But now I want to keep the HPS (2x600 watt, air cooled cooltube reflectors) lighting and run them directly over top of the 4 plants. 2 plants under 1 light, 2 the other. The way the HPS lights are hung down the middle of the tent right now, 2 in series and exhausted out, does take up space and is a bear to setup and take down. So with the flexibility of the autocob pendent hanging it looks like I can pretty much get 1 COB over each plant at an angle, hanging beside the HPS reflectors. So each plant gets a full COB and half a 600 watt HPS each, which I'm thinking would be great for flowering. And the HPS will give me the heat I need in the winter. That's my plan, but open to ideas on this part.

Also I have really been liking a T5HO fixture I have. It's a framed array of 8 tubes each 2' long. What I love about this is the coverage I can get just by hovering it over a couple of seedling plants and how close I can keep the plants to the light. I don't get uncomfortable with the T5's worrying about light burn. They are so easy to use. And the results I find are impressive. I get nice wide bushy seedlings with this light. So I'm thinking of keeping the T5 too.

Just curious if others would keep the old school lights and supplement LED with them, or would you get rid of them and only go COB?

I run a 7ft by 3ft tent with 200w cobs and a 600hps and things stay very warm.but my hps aint cooltubed hope this helps.happy growing

 

[lunarman]

I run a 7ft by 3ft tent with 200w cobs and a 600hps and things stay very warm.but my hps aint cooltubed hope this helps.happy growing

I now have 4 autocobs in my tent running with the 2x600 watt HPS cool tubes. From what I can tell people put the HPS in the middle and LED's on the sides when doing an HPS/LED hybrid setup. Is that what you do?

I pretty much had to do it this way since my HPS lights and exhaust venting was already setup and running down the middle of my tent. I hung 4 autocobs from the ceiling. 2 on each side. Each one pointing at a plant that is already under HPS. I love the way I can hang an autcob light at whatever height I need it, and from whatever distance away, and whatever angle I need. You can't do that with a framed panel of lights. I love the way I can put the autocobs just around the HPS run in whatever custom position I want. Pretty cool. And after a couple of days only so far, I'm liking the results I'm seeing on my plants that are pretty much done. Couple more weeks to go and having the LED light come in just at the end of the run isn't ideal, but it will help finish the plants, and then the next grow will go start to end in hybrid lighting. Will also use a T5HO fixture with 8 bulbs for seedling, but that doesn't really count compared to the LED/HPS lighting!

U can't really see the HPS lights because of the door divider in the middle, but there are 2 cool tubes running from the front to the back of the tent then out the top left side. and I have the 4 autocobs hanging there as well. I love how I can raise or lower each one. Or push it closer to the middle of the tent of pull them back to the walls. So I really can control distance in two dimensions. And then there is the tilt angle I can play with too. Pretty darn impressive flexibility.